Movie "I'm Still Here" Joaquin Phoenix

[VWFringe]

i've been watching Democracy Now! and reading here and there about the "Popular Media's lens" which tends to indoctrinate us into our culture and world view, and how the media consolidation makes it easier for the corporations and the government to feed us propaganda, and mold our beliefs.

then I saw this movie, and all of the stuff I had witnessed Joaquin Phoenix do over the past year came rushing back...I watch a lot of TV, and follow somewhat the news about the stars.

before watching the film I knew it was fake, a put-on, but still felt betrayed and empty.

Then those feelings were replaced with a deep appreciation for what he had done...it was not simply that he wanted to do his own Tila Tequila show, and went about doing it in a very organized fashion...it's that he wanted to help us wake up to what is really going on.

That's a pretty big sacrafice to bitch-slap us into reality.

Thank you, Mr. Phoenix!

This movie helped me put my relationship with the stars and the narrative of the popular media into perspective. You helped break their lens, Dude!

 

[Cleanfiend]

agreed. Best film I saw in 2010 (close second being Sin Nombre).

This film gave me a deep appreciation for the complexities of the celebritation of our nation. Completely dissatisfied with doing what others expect of him, Joaquin does what the rest of us should do: tune out the outside world and do what makes you happy. A really positive message that can be extracted through the pains that Joaquin experiences when abutting societal norms, conventions.

As a cannabis user and generally introspective individual, I found this film to be a breathe of fresh air. Highly recommend it!

 

[aesthyrian]

His rap in the club at the end was hilarious! And no one got it, they just had phones and camera's shoved in their face to make sure they filmed every damned second, instead of just enjoying the show.

 

[Nosferatu]

I heard he really is like this now and currently being voice trained or something by P Diddy to get his music started. Is it for real? I'm still stumped on this whole Joaquin Phoenix fiasco.

 

[VWFringe]

I was surprised on the movie's facebook page a lot of people didn't seem to "get it" and I don't think Joaquin's pushing anything about it except that he wanted people to start to realize that everything on TV is scripted, and that lens, if you will, directs more than just your attention. It gets into your beliefs. And he wants us to wake up to that fact. Question everything we see on TV, everything. Accept the entertainment value, but watch the hell out for how it tries to sway your beliefs and get you thinking "it's way." Or, else, when you watch reality TV, and the news, you will be suckered in.

He was shocked that TV viewers believed that reality TV is not scripted. And he wanted to break that belief, I believe. The singing was hilarious and painfull for me, knowing he wasn't actually becoming or even wanting to become a rap singer - it was just a device for the ultimate point of the movie. and God wasn't it aweful? Cat wailing in a bucket aweful, lol

When I was a kid I watched Wrestling and believed it was real, and can still suspend dis-belief and enjoy it once in a while now, but what they are doing on TV is always like that, just circles within circles, as to who they can get away with swaying to their way of thinking, all the "news" on the major networks is filtered, with sprinklings of stories thrown in to mis-direct our attention.

Did anyone notice today that all of the networks, instead of talking about what is going on in Wisconsin, are tracking Lindsay Lowhan and Charlie Sheen? Case in point.

 

[Nosferatu]

Oh I understand now. It really is sad reality TV even exists, really. Thinking that a persons night is sitting down alone and watching that shit is not only sad, but scary.

 

[aesthyrian]

"I don't even fear fucking fear"

 

[Cleanfiend]

Oh I understand now. It really is sad reality TV even exists, really. Thinking that a persons night is sitting down alone and watching that shit is not only sad, but scary.

While I agree with you completely, it is all relative. I'm sure that there are those who would frown upon our nightly rituals, our compulsions, and mostly our need to articulate and discuss that said habit.

All you can do is put into the world what you hope to get out of it, and hope that others are following a similar path.

 

[VWFringe]

I believe this film is no less relevant about how we relate to candidates for election.

 

[crawdad]

have not seen it yet, but sounds like a sneak peak into a weakness of the mind. we all have within us that interest or desire to direct our attention to all things shiny...like a fish in a pond spotting a shiner.